East Coast Hockey League

Professionalhockey league centered primarily in the U.S. Southeast, although teams extend as far north as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Its position in pro hockey's hierarchy is roughly equivalent to AAbaseball, in that players are two steps away from the National Hockey League. The level of play, though, is probably more comparable to Single-A ball; AA baseball players usually have the physical skills for the big leagues and are building the necessary mental skills, while ECHL play is considerably slower and less skilled than even that of the American Hockey League. The few future NHL players that do play in this league proceed from the ECHL to the AHL, and from that league to the NHL.